No religion has ever seemed to sit quite right with you, never really feeling like the perfect fit. Over time, you simply decided that there was no point in pursuing religions if none of them were for you, and you were quite content with that. At least that’s what you told yourself. It was frustrating that it meant so much to you.
A week ago however, whilst travelling, you came across a quaint little store, full of antique items and books. There was one that you had been drawn to far too heavily to ignore. There was something off about the leather and the pages, but you knew you had to get it. Once you had gotten it back to the room you were staying in, you spent some time looking through it, finding that it actually seemed to be some kind of text about long forgotten deities, and ways to gain their favour.
One of the deities captured your full attention, and you couldn’t help but think that they felt right. To your surprise and excitement, all the items that were required for gaining their attention and favour, were items that you had come upon and collected over the last few weeks of your travelling.
In what felt like no time at all, you had the harmless ritual set up. Something about all of this, felt like it was meant to happen, as if this is what had been nagging at you for so long.
Some part of you knew that it was strange that you could read a language that you had never seen before, but excitement and curiosity was quick to smother those thoughts.
Letting out a shuddering breath, you quietly worked through and completed the ritual, a small smile on your face as you did. Almost instantly, a strange energy rushed through the room, wrapping around you lovingly and relieving aches you hadn’t even been aware of. After a few moments, it slowly dissipated, and you sat there dazedly for a while, your mind still in a flurry.
A cold sensation on your wrist is what finally snapped you out of it, and you curiously lifted your hand. Wrapped around your wrist, was an elegant cuff, made out of a metal that shimmered too perfectly to be normal. Its surface was covered in intricate engravings and illustrations, some even holding other precious stones and metals, to truly define certain aspects.
What really drew your attention however, was the symbol of your new patron deity, lovingly engraved directly over your pulse.
It was rather jarring having so much time available to yourself after so long. The days had you wandering around listlessly more often than not, unsure what to do with yourself. The lovely old lady across the street reprimanded you gently, calling you foolish and telling you that these were the times that you should be going and doing the things you usually don’t have time or energy to do.
It was one such bout of whimsy that had led you here. You had spent most of your childhood on this secluded little beach, filling the days with laughter as you played with your imaginary friend along the shore and amongst the rock pools. It had been a happy time, before everything started falling apart.
Your mother had taken you and moved into the city after the accident, unable to handle living in that house without them there with you both. She had passed a few years ago as well, leaving the house under your care, though you had been too busy to really do anything about it then. Perhaps you should stay here a while, and take some time to figure things out, now that you were secure financially.
Feeling a touch nostalgic, you kicked off your business shoes, and started heading towards your favourite little cove, absently noting that you should probably buy some casual clothes, now that you wouldn’t be confined to such professional settings all the time anymore. Walking along the beach in these clothes wasn’t the most ideal, but already you could feel the stress slowly dripping off of you, with each step.
Out of the corner of your eye, you swore you saw something move, the quickly setting sun glinting off of something other than the waves, though you quickly brushed this off. It had been a long drive after all.
Shaking your head, you climbed your way through the little hidden tunnel of rocks, cursing at how much harder it was to do such, with an adult body. Soon enough, you found yourself walking out into the secret little cove, laughing in delight at the sight. With childish glee bubbling up in your chest for the first time in years, you quickly rolled up your pant legs, wading out into the water a little, and simply admiring the quickly darkening view. The starts were always so bright here, so you knew that you would find your way back safely with ease, and if you remembered correctly, the way they lit up this cove after sunset, was outright magical.
A splash towards the entrance of the cove made you pause, stepping a little deeper as you tried to see what it was. Seconds later, something large and cold clamped around your lower leg, yanking it out from under you. Yelping, you found yourself splashing down into the water, coughing and spluttering as you tried to sit up again, the second you were released.
Massive hands slapped down into the water on either side of you, somebody getting right up into your personal space, their large body covered in softly glowing markings.
“You came back!” A somewhat familiar voice cheered, though it sounded deeper and thicker than you remembered it.
Wide eyed, you found yourself gaping up in shock at the giant of a person before you, their shoulders easily twice as wide as your own. Despite their more adult appearance, and startling size increase, they were still without question, your imaginary friend from your childhood, large shimmering tail and all.
Death is inevitable. Its presence is always lingering and though foreign,still familiar. But in the light of the darkness, you will never have to face it alone and shall be embraced as an old lover and friend.
Today 10/17/18 at 3PM MST you can take one of our specialty models home!
Currently only available in OS but later sizes will be coming. Thank you everyone for your support and excitement! Ill be posting the official model pictures here within the hour and then the Drop at 3!
I had a lot of his story typed this morning and I’ll be revising it and hopefully posting it within the week once I have it the way I like!
Every evening, just before the sun sets, you place out a large bowl of scraps and a large bowl of water, for what you assume is a stray. Originally, you would always come out of a morning to find your bins upended and trash scattered around, as something searched for any possible food. Now though, you no longer have any issues with it, the stray simply sticking to the large pile of scraps and food that you set out for it. If you happen to occasionally bring back left overs from your work to make sure you have more available for the stray, well, that’s no ones business but your own.
One night, a little past midnight, you realise that you left something in the car. Groaning, you heave yourself up and grab your car keys, grumbling a bit to yourself. You shiver as you open the front door and step out, taking a few steps forward before freezing as you see something moving around the side of the house.
You’re expecting to see the stray digging into the free meal you always place there, but what you see is no stray.
The creature sits crouched before the bowls, its body almost skeletal in appearance, skin pulled tight, and sharp deformed ridges poking out of its back,
the ashy tone only amplifying the effect. Its eyes are large and pitch black, almost looking like empty sockets, if not for the slight gleam of the light hitting them. With its lips pulled back thanks to the tightness of its skin, you can see its large needle like teeth, slick with thick drool. The creatures large clawed hands are covered in food, chunks of it hanging from its mouth and staining its chest in a gory display of animalistic hunger, every inch of it like something from a nightmare.
You find yourself completely frozen with fear as the thing watches you, heart nearly stopping as it opens its maw and lets out a hollow wailing growl, and abandons its food. Before you can move an inch, its thundering towards you on all fours, limbs moving and twisting abnormally as it moves, making it seem almost spider like, a hollow rasping groan echoing from its chest.
It wasn’t often that you got drunk, but it had been quite some time since you and your friends managed to get some time together like this. The group of you had gotten rather pleasantly tipsy when they came down to see you, and were now enjoying dancing around and giggling hysterically in the rain, most of the dreary little town, already shut for the day. You would probably wouldn’t be hearing the end of it when it came to you and your friends loud obnoxious singing, not for some time at least. There weren’t many people under fifty in this town, and complaining was practically an Olympic sport around here.
As you passed through the old park, one of them noticed the large old statue, partially hidden, just a little ways off the beaten track. No one in town quite new its origin, but it had been there as long as the town had been, and it was doing no harm where it was. Most chose to ignore the bizarre nameless statue.
One of your friends whistled appreciatively at the figure, and you all laughed, dancing and stumbling your way into the tiny clearing. Your friends started joking around, eventually convincing you to climb up onto the statues base, and give it a kiss. Drunk and enjoying being silly and carefree for once, you gave a dramatic bow and clumsily climbed up the slippery base, your friends hooting and whistling at you the whole way.
Reaching the statue, your friends cheered and teased you over your height differences, laughing as you only flipped them off. Wrapping your arms around the statues neck, you paused briefly, finally noticing how sad the statue looked up close, its face partially concealed from any other position. Something about it made your heart twinge painfully. Shaking the surprisingly sober thought off, you used your grip around its neck, to stand on the tips of your toes, kissing the slightly bent over figure directly on their cold unyielding lips.
Instantaneously, lighting struck somewhere else in the park, disturbingly close by, the following boom of thunder, loud enough to make your ears hurt. Your friends shouted and screeched in alarm, before running back onto the path, laughing loudly, headed the short distance back to your place. Unfortunately, they were all too drunk and giggly, to notice that you hadn’t followed.
Having been startled by the thunder as well, you lost your footing on the slippery base of the statue. You barely managed to fall an inch, before a powerful arm was locking around you, lifting you just enough to keep your feet off of the slick ground.
Wide eyed, you snapped your gaze back up, shocked to find yourself meeting the wonder filled gaze of what had previously been a statue. Now, they were flesh and bone, their skin and hair soft against your hold, your arms still locked around their neck. They seemed in awe of you, and in full honesty, the feeling went both ways. Their was no question that their beauty was beyond human, their now living form, radiating with power and grace, and their eyes tugging at something deep inside you.
Got to do a collab with the amazing Andrew Mar. He is a super cool guy who made the experience really pleasant for me seeing how I’m a shy nervous mess of a person lol.
Your village was right
between the two warring states, so the elders quickly convened and called it a
sanctuary city, protecting those who lived there and entered it. For whatever
reason, it worked and in return the city offered to help heal the sick and
wounded from the war.
You were one of the
healers that was beginning to be run ragged from all the work you were given.
After all you had to balance yourself between the denizens, and both sides of
the war. You believed it was worth it, even if you had to hire guards. Well,
hired isn’t the right word. Sometimes soldiers lack payment so you have them
take you out to gather important herbs for salves and whatnot. Yet, balance was
important, so you either had a rakshasa and an orc or no guards at all.
Lately, you’ve not had to
rotate out your guards because the two you currently have refuse to leave your
service. You don’t mind. Fin and Squish helped you often and have even began to
try and help you gather the ingredients instead of just standing watch. They
even went out of their way to identify themselves as yours
Fin was an orc that had
lots of beads and braids on his black hair. He had scars littered all over his
body and he often wore very little, as accustomed to the orcs style. His skin
was green like the olives that once grew in the countryside.
Squish on the other hand
was very regal. He took much care in maintaining his fur and clothing in a
pristine manner. His fur was golden, and he had dark marks leading from his
eyes o his nose and little spots all over.
Together the three of you
made quite the spectacle. Your two guards fretting whenever you would lodge
yourself into tiny nooks and what not to get various herbs and once when you
came back out with a snake in your grasp. What a sight that was, you were sure
that Squish was going to pass out.
They always followed you
around and you suspected that they were trying to court you, but you could not
choose one way or the other, lest you disturb the delicate balance this city
has. So, you could not respond nor reciprocate.
Fin and Squish did not
appreciate this and sat down and talked first with each other and then you.
“Why won’t you choose?”
“You both know why.”
“Can’t you give us a
sign?”
“Squish, I would love to,
but the war…”
“It isn’t within these
walls, it isn’t between us.”
“We, being Fin and
myself, talked and we understand. We want to court you. Both of us. We want to
give ourselves to you until you can choose, until you can speak freely.”
Tears flooded your eyes
and spilled down your cheeks. “Okay.”
That was all it took and
not much changed. Yes, you would kiss their cheeks every now and again and
everything was much more comfortable, but they stayed on, guarding you as you
went about and gathered supplies and healed the feeble. You felt much better
with this resolve and didn’t want to have to choose because you didn’t know if
you could.
Everything was great,
until it wasn’t. People found out and whispered as you passed, no longer speaking
to you if they could help it. Deserters from both sides would hit on you. After
all a human is a step up in this town. You weren’t happy with the new
circumstances, but they were bearable, and you could live with them. Until you
were being chased through the woods. You tripped and scrabbled to hide within
an old burrow. Your ankle was throbbing as you watched their feet run past you.
Hours passed, and you
stayed silent in your hole. You couldn’t walk back to town, that is if you were
even welcome there anymore. Additionally, you had run quite some ways away into
no-mans-land. Which was very bad, if you didn’t have night vision.
You would occasionally
slip into a restless sleep only to wake at any little noise. Normally it was a
distant gunshot or a battle cry, but this time there was two men moving through
the leaves, whispering between them.
They stopped, and you
held your breath counting off the seconds, waiting, praying, trying to will
them away when you were finally dragged out of the burrow. You wept as they
held you by your collar.
‘This is it.’ You
thought. ‘Goodbye Fin… Squish…’
Yet, fate had deceived
you as you were maneuvered into a hug between the two and then you heard him.
“Thank goodness we found you. Fin nearly beat three men to death when they were
telling everyone how they ran you off.”
“They deserved it.”
“Doesn’t matter.” You
felt Squish turn back towards you. “Why didn’t you come back?”
“My ankle, it hurts.”
“I’m sure it does…
Its swollen and gross, and your
covered in dirt and leaves.” He pulled something from your hair to prove his
point. “Let’s go home.”
Toad's Cave 